Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
PUCKETT KAREN A
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CENTURYTEL INC [CTL] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President & COO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
100 CENTURYTEL DRIVE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/22/2006
(Street)

MONROE, LA 71203		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   50,000 A $ 28.03 123,417.74 D  
Common Stock 02/22/2006   S   50,000 D $ 37.21 73,417.74 D  
Common Stock               200 I As Custodian For Child
Common Stock               438.44 I By 401(k) (1)
Common Stock               993.06 I By ESOP (2)
Common Stock               15.2 I By Stock Bonus Plan (3)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 28.03 02/22/2006   M     50,000 05/21/2002(4) 05/21/2011 Common Stock 50,000 $ 0 0 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 29.19               (5) 07/25/2010 Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 32.99             02/25/2003(6) 02/25/2012 Common Stock 120,000   120,000 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 27.48             02/24/2004(7) 02/24/2013 Common Stock 49,999   49,999 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 28.34             02/25/2004 02/25/2014 Common Stock 75,000   75,000 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 33.4             02/17/2005(8) 02/17/2015 Common Stock 75,000   75,000 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 35.41             03/15/2007(9) 02/20/2016 Common Stock 75,000   75,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
PUCKETT KAREN A
100 CENTURYTEL DRIVE
MONROE, LA 71203		       President & COO  

Signatures

 By: Kay C. Buchart, Attorney-In-Fact   02/22/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) As of most recent statement available
(2) As of most recent statement available.
(3) As of most recent statement available.
(4) One-third of the Stock Options are exercisable 5/21/02, one-third are exercisable 5/21/03, and one-third are exercisable 5/21/04.
(5) One-third of the stock options are exercisable 7/25/01, one-third are exercisable 7/25/02, and remaining one-third are exercisable 7/25/03.
(6) One-third of the Stock Options are exercisable 2/25/03, one-third are exercisable 2/25/04, and one-third are exercisable 2/25/05.
(7) One-third of the Stock Options are exercisable 2/24/04, one-third are exercisable 2/24/05, and one-third are exercisable 2/24/06.
(8) One-third of the options are exercisable immediately, one-third are exercisable 2/17/06, and one-third are exercisable 2/17/07.
(9) One-third of the options are exercisable 3/15/07, one-third are exercisable 3/15/08, and one-third are exercisable 3/15/09.

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